Studying insect motion with piezoelectric sensors

Piezoelectric materials have been widely used in applications such as transducers, acoustic components, as well as motion, pressure and airborne sensors. Because of the material's biocompatibility and flexibility, we have been able to apply small piezoelectric sensors, made of PVDF, to cockroaches. We built a laboratory test system to study the piezoelectric properties of a bending sensor. The tested motion was compared with that of the sensor attached to a cockroach. Surface characterization and finite element analysis revealed the effects of microstructure on piezoelectric response. The sensor attachment enables us to monitor the insects' locomotion and study their behaviors. The applications of engineering materials to insects opens the door to innovating approaches to integrating biological, mechanical and electrical systems.